My doctor now has me on low dosages of prednisone - been on it for 3 full days and I feel no relief in my extreme inflammation / pain in my wrists/hands. Should I give it more time or taper off?
I was on 10mg a day and told to stop if it didn't work within ten days. It didn't for me!!!! So I reckon you could give it a while longer.
I do not feel any relief at dose of less than 10 mg a day. My doctor starts me at 20-40 for 3 days and the tapers it to 0 within 1-10 days. But each person is different as is their prednisone dose. They use to put people on prednisone to see if their arthritis responds to it. If it does they have one of the inflammatory arthritis. If they do not it is not Rheumatoid or Psoriatic Arthritis.
a typical quick dose of prednisone for me is 5 days at 20mg then 5 days at 15mg, etc. down to nothing. I have permission from my doc to take 10mg on days when I feel spectacularly bad and to do that for three days tops. I'm very sensitive to prednisone so it doesn't take much of it for it to make the world of difference. I recently took 5mg for about six weeks and I just finished that course. I can REALLY tell a difference between 5mg and nothing. I have much more pain when I'm not on even a very small dose of prednisone. And for me it works pretty much instantly. Good luck!
So, my derm gave me a prescription for prednisone which i filled on June 12, it's sitting here waiting for me to take it. Prednisone made me feel so good the few times I've taken it, but what's stopping me is the concern that it does more harm than good-like someone said, it's like getting a home visit from jail. She ordered 20mgx3 days, 15x3, 10x3, 5x3. That sounds like a small dose, so do you think I should just go ahead with it? I'm hoping to get my Enbrel started in less than a week, so now concerned about overlapping the two. Oh, and I'm on the 9th day of doxycycline for the tic bite....maybe I'll just save the pred. It is tempting, tho!
Can you manage without the prednisone, Grandma J? Or are you desperate for some relief now? The worst problems with prednisone occur with long-term use – not likely to happen in two weeks.
As for the overlap between it and Enbrel, a quick call to your doc or pharmacist should answer the question. (For things like drug interactions and side effects, my pharmacist knows way more than my doc. He’s become a really important member of my health care team! Getting to know your pharmacist is a really good thing.)
I'm trying to make it without the pred but wish I would have started it sooner. I will call the pharmacist. My neck and right elbow and wrist are the big issues right now. P.t. didn't help my neck much yet but I know that takes time.
Seenie said:
Can you manage without the prednisone, Grandma J? Or are you desperate for some relief now? The worst problems with prednisone occur with long-term use -- not likely to happen in two weeks.
As for the overlap between it and Enbrel, a quick call to your doc or pharmacist should answer the question. (For things like drug interactions and side effects, my pharmacist knows way more than my doc. He's become a really important member of my health care team! Getting to know your pharmacist is a really good thing.)
I bould give it a few more days and then call the doc and ask for a tapering dose: you get a loading dose of 30-40mgs, then taper down to that daily low dose, or a burst-dose: 30mgs x 3 days. One of those should help.
I would definitely consult the doc who prescribed the doxy, or let your rheum know (remind) about the doxy rx prior to taking prednisone.
Grandma J said:
So, my derm gave me a prescription for prednisone which i filled on June 12, it’s sitting here waiting for me to take it. Prednisone made me feel so good the few times I’ve taken it, but what’s stopping me is the concern that it does more harm than good-like someone said, it’s like getting a home visit from jail. She ordered 20mgx3 days, 15x3, 10x3, 5x3. That sounds like a small dose, so do you think I should just go ahead with it? I’m hoping to get my Enbrel started in less than a week, so now concerned about overlapping the two. Oh, and I’m on the 9th day of doxycycline for the tic bite…maybe I’ll just save the pred. It is tempting, tho!